The Lady Of The Lake

Ah, the joys of leading a bastion. One moment, you're racing against the impending arrival of the Ordeal of the Dusk. The next, you're wrangling your confidantes and bastioneers into a spontaneous expedition to fetch fresh water because your technological genius has drained your reservoirs dry.

Still, fate smiled upon me, or rather, Verina did, as she effortlessly detected a nearby source of fresh water the moment I assigned her the task. It was a reminder of how competent my confidantes were—or, in Verina's case, suspiciously efficient.

It scared me a little bit. Both Verina and Kuzunoha had been nothing but wonderful additions to my life, one that I wouldn't ever let go if possible.

We set out immediately, myself, Kuzunoha, Verina, and three bastioneers—Erika, Lydia, and Sera. Each wielded their newly crafted Skypiercers, which gleamed with the promise of greater efficiency.